Music

Kristen Castro Transforms Grief Into Golden-Hour Euphoria on “Summer Rain”

"Summer Rain" by Kristen Castro comes out at just the right time, like when the storm clouds part and the sun shines through, bathing everything in a soft yellow light. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has really moved me with this song. It is both highly personal and easily understandable to everyone, like finding an old diary entry that applies to your present situation in some way. Five...

Attack the Sound: “Love is War: Packed” – Catchy & Complex

Attack the Sound's "Love is War: Packed" EP is... a thing. A Chi-Pop thing, specifically. Chicago's own ATS is back, celebrating five years since the original "Love is War" single dropped, and they've decided to, well, pack it. Like a suitcase full of emotional baggage you're not sure you want to unpack. https://open.spotify.com/album/1d92wk2RdBsZy409vEXiM8?si=IDZjOJKYQ5G_JsIX49vl_g The central theme, in case the title didn't bludgeon you with it, is...

Harris Rafferty Torches the Past with “Burnin’”

Harris Rafferty makes his latest statement with "Burnin’", a track that arrives with the subtle grace of a brick thrown through a conservatory window....

Kaleidoscope Collision Hit High Velocity on “Hiding Place”

There is a distinct, jagged auditory flavor to the concept of velocity, something that hits you immediately when listening to Kaleidoscope Collision and their...

Archers New Rival Find a Heavy New “Direction”

With the arrival of Archers New Rival and their single "Direction", I found myself tracing the jagged line of a crack in my ceiling,...

The Jagged, Beautiful Duality of Cries of Redemption’s “Abstract”

There is a precise sort of chaos within the architecture of Cries of Redemption and the new release "Abstract" that feels entirely purposeful, like...

Screaming Into the Fuzz: Stone Deaf Releases “Joculator”

With Stone Deaf's well-anticipated single "Joculator", the atmosphere shifts; the air suddenly feels thinner, charged with static and the sweet promise of bad decisions....

Shery M Navigates the Velocity of Loss on “Goin Gone”

Listening to Shery M navigate the pulsating, anxious corridors of "Goin Gone" feels like watching a high-speed train pass a quiet station; you catch...

“Keep it Burning” Finds The Plastic Pals in Vintage Form

Twenty years into their tenure, The Plastic Pals have returned with "Keep it Burning", a record that feels less like a studio product and...

The Voyeuristic Intimacy of “MISSING IN ACTION” by Joey P.

There is a specific texture to the air in Chicago a kind of electric grit but listening to Joey P. unravel his latest project,...

Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile are “Turning to Gold” in Latest Single

There is a distinct, almost chemical alchemy happening with Ryuichi Hayashi and Krokodile latest release, "Turning to Gold". It summons the specific, drowsy euphoria...

Watch Me Die Inside: The Calculated Chaos of “Infinity Fall I”

There is a specific kind of digital claustrophobia embedded in the latest release from Watch Me Die Inside, aptly titled “Infinity Fall I”. Aleph,...

“Regret”: Nelson G’s Smooth Yet Heavy Sonic Gamble

With "Regret", Nelson G constructs a sonic space that sits somewhere between a confession and a late-night drive through an empty Swiss town. This...

Groovy Melancholy: Inside Tony Frissore’s “Four Walls”

Tony Frissore has constructed something strikingly paradoxical with his latest instrumental release, the single "Four Walls". Listening to this track feels like watching a...